OGU is an architecture, research and Urban Design Studio based in Belfast. We help socially conscious clients improve public places and buildings through careful research, material quality and meaningful collaboration with makers and manufacturers.

About

OGU have developed an engaged practice working primarily with public clients, community groups, business groups to develop thoughtful, positive design. We often work in areas of the city that others have given up on, shining a light into neglected corners of the city with architecture at various scales. We try to be considerate collaborators and listeners. The practice has recently been selected by the RIBA as one of 5 future winners which tries to shines a light on the best practices set up in the last 10 years. The Adelaide Street Project also won the prestigious Architects Journal Small Projects Award out of more than 200 entries from across the UK and Ireland.

Impact

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Awards, Publications, Lectures + Exhibitions

2023:
RIBA Future Winners (link to Journal each time)
XXXX, XXXXXX Small Projects Winner

2022:
Tallinn Architecture Biennale, Estonia, The Bricoleurs
Mackintosh School Architecture Lecture
McEwen Award Shortlist
Wood Works, Solstice Arts Centre, The Bricoleurs

2019:
XXXX, XXXXXX

2017:
RSUA Winners

Chris Upson

B.Arch Dip.Arch PG.Dip ARB RIBA

Chris has worked for practices including Tim Ronalds Architects, where projects included performance spaces like Sevenoaks Performing Arts Centre and the refurbishment of the listed Ironmonger Row bath house. Chris also worked at Karakusevic Carson Architects on large scale housing and urban design, including Olympic legacy work in Hackney Wick. Since founding OGU, Chris has acted as Consultant to London Borough Tower Hamlets, designing nurseries, schools and public spaces. Chris worked for Hall Black Douglas in Belfast where completed, recently built projects include the refurbishment of a church in South Belfast, the refurbishment and major extension of a Cancer Centre in North Belfast, and the extension of Delamont House for the Education Authority on the banks of Strangford Lough. At HBD, Chris was Project Architect for several urban design projects including the Holywood Arches Masterplan and the Strabane Canal Basin Masterplan. Chris is a guest lecturer in architectural design at Queen’s University Belfast.

Dr Rachel O’Grady

MA(Cantab) Dip.Arch PhD

Rachel worked for respected London practices Penoyre + Prasad and Wright & Wright Architects before acting as a consultant to the urban regeneration charity CURE India, based in New Delhi. Running projects concerned with instigating community engagement within a large-scale, heritage-led regeneration project adjacent to the Taj Mahal, Rachel and CURE were awarded an Architecture sans Frontieres International Honorary Mention Award. Based on this work, Rachel completed a PhD focusing on participatory heritage projects at London Metropolitan University. She was lucky enough to be supervised by Prof. Maurice Mitchell and Peter Carl. For three years, Rachel worked with the research group Recomposing the City, which studies the improvement of sound in urban environments. Rachel now divides her time between OGU Architects and lecturing in architectural design and technology at Queen’s University Belfast.

Teaching and Research

As a practice our links to university, teaching and collaborative research are important to us. It is important that we bring critical thinking to every project and that it questions and reflects on the proposed approach. The research is often in the making and material quality of producing things - this is important. Thinking must meet doing and making. Ideas are improved and shaped through research in drawing, making, modelling and constructing.

Quality Standards

Our studio policies, systems and processes have been developed with a rigorous attention to detail to guarantee quality in our projects and our company. We take on a limited number of projects and our directors lead every project together. Our robust in-house Quality Management system is based on principles of ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, following the RIAI Good Practice Guide and the RIBA Plan of Work. Every project is developed in BIM in accordance with the ISO 19560 series, with appropriate information exchange protocols in place.Our IT systems are security certified to ISO 27001. We take a flexible approach with online cloud servers to maintain our workflow from any location, whether working from our studio base or on site.

Sustainability

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Selected Clients + Collaborators

  • Department for Infrastructure, Department for Belfast City Council

    Derry City + Strabane District Council, ABC Council

    Maritime Mile

  • Prob 50 of these, BCDA, XXXX

  • Brí Farren, Beth Milligan, Lynsey, Donald, Fearghal Murray